Essential Changes
by purplepagoda
Summary: Claire struggles to adapt to the changes in her life. When she is faced with a scary health issue she'll lean on the most unlikely person. Will Gloria be able to convince Claire that everything is going to be okay? Claire's health issue challenges her way of life, and threatens to disrupt the Dunphy's way of life.
1. Chapter 1

Luke eyes her suspiciously as she uses his book as a fan. He sits at the kitchen island, attempting to avoid his homework.

"Mom, what are you doing?" He questions.

"It's just so hot in here," she continues to fan herself with his text book.

He shakes his head, "No it's not."

She puts down his book, and looks at him. "You're not hot?"

"It's like twelve degrees in here," he comments.

She looks at him, and realizes that he is wearing sweat pants, and a hoodie. She breaks eye contact, and surveys her own attire. She wears a tank top, and gym shorts. She furrows her brow, and re-engages her son.

"Luke are you trying to make me think that I'm crazy?"

"Of course not, you have already proven that."

"About the temperature," she clarifies.

"No."

Phil comes down the stairs into the kitchen. He kisses his wife on the cheek.

"Honey, I love you, but could you leave the thermostat alone, please?"

She scratches her head, "You're cold too?"

He nods, "I'm wearing thermal underwear under all of this."

She notes that he is wearing jeans, and his favorite college hoodie.

"Maybe you're just having a hot flash," Luke suggests, staring at his phone.

"Excuse me?!"

"Honey, I think what he was saying, is that..."

Claire cuts him off, "I know what he was saying, and I don't appreciate it," she storms off.

"Honey," he stands at the bottom of the stairs as she races up them, "he didn't mean it."

"I did, but I didn't know it would offend her," Luke mutters under her breath.

"You need to go up there and apologize to her," Phil insists.

"I need to finish my homework," he deflects.

Ten minutes later Phil's leisurely reading is interrupted by someone knocking on the door. He vacates the couch after the third knock, realizing that no one else is going to answer the door. He pulls the door open, and finds Gloria.

"What are you doing here?"

"Claire called, she said it was an emergency."

"I wouldn't call it an emergency."

"Where is she?"

"Upstairs."

"Why do you have it so cold in here?"

"Maybe don't mention that to Claire," he suggests.

She heads up the stairs to Claire's room. She knocks on the door, "Claire," she vocalizes in the thick accent.

"It's open."

She opens the door, and enters the room. She finds Claire lying on the floor in front of the bed.

"What are you doing down there?"

"I laid down here in defeat, but then I was too tired to get up."

"I got here as quickly as I could. What is the emergency?"

"I need you to be honest with me. I know that I can always count on you to be honest."

"About your hair?" Gloria questions.

"My hair? No is something wrong with my hair?"

"No," she shakes her head, "Not at all. What were you saying?" She changes the subject.

"Do you think that I am old enough to…" she trails off.

"What is going on? Are you old enough to what? Drink? Yes, we should be drinking," Gloria suggests.

"Wine doesn't even sound good."

Gloria takes a seat on the floor next to Claire.

"What's wrong?"

"I think that I am going through the change."

"The change? Claire life is always changing."

"No, Gloria, _the change_."

"What are you talking about?"

"In case you haven't noticed it is fifty five degrees in here, I checked."

"And?"

"I feel like it is a hundred and five degrees in here."

"Are you having a hot flash?"

"That is what Luke said, I nearly took his head off. I have just been so tired lately. I guess I have been more moody, too. Don't you think?"

"No," she lies, "I hadn't noticed."

"I think that I am going through menopause," she groans.

"That is why you are so upset?"

"Yes."

"Your children are all nearly grown," Gloria points out.

"I know."

"I don't see how it is a bad thing."

"I'm just not ready."

"Ready for what?"

"Tapioca pudding, dentures, nursing homes…"

"Just because you are going through menopause does not mean that you are geriatric."

"I feel that way. I guess I have just been so busy that I hadn't noticed all of the obvious signs."

"Like the hot flashes?"

"And the night sweats," Claire adds, "and the fact that I can't remember the last time I had a period. It has been months."

"You should make a doctor's appointment. Isn't there a test for that?"

"Yes, you're right. Thank you for being honest."

"Who else would you call about something like this?"

"Will you go with me?"

"Sure," she agrees.

"Then you'll know what to expect."

"I am not as old as you are, and I don't think that I am going to have to worry about that for a while."

"You never know."

"I am young…"

Claire looks up at her, and cuts her off, "That is what I thought to."

"Maybe it wouldn't hurt to go with you. That way I will know what to look for in the future... the distant future."

"Or not so distant," Claire corrects.

"Maybe it isn't menopause," Gloria suggests.

"What else could it be?"

"I have heard you coughing lately."

"It's my allergies," Claire insists.

"Is it? Maybe it is tuberculosis."

"Tuberculosis?"

"Yes, in my country, I saw it many times. Night sweats, coughing, and then bam someone dies from the TB."

"Yes, Gloria, clearly that is a better thing to have. I am so glad that you came to cheer me up. Maybe, I am not in menopause after all, maybe it is just tuberculosis. Tuberculosis would be better anyway, it is contagious, and potentially deadly."


	2. Chapter 2

Claire and Gloria sit in the waiting room of a doctor's office, thumbing through magazines a few weeks later. Claire shifts in her seat. Gloria rolls up her magazine, and hits Claire on the leg.

"What was that for?"

"Stop shaking your leg," Gloria insists.

"I am just so nervous."

"About what?"

"I don't know what the doctor is going to say."

"I was there when he talked to you on the phone. He said that he just wanted to go over the results of your lab tests."

"I know, but what if it is something serious?"

"He didn't say that it was."

"He told me that I should bring someone," Claire points out.

"He said you could bring someone if you wanted."

"Why would he want a follow up appointment? I mean I just saw him last week."

"He agreed with you. He scheduled your follow up appointment to go over your labs last week, before you had even had them."

"I feel like I'm going to be sick."

"You are fine," she insists.

"No, I feel nauseated."

"It is all in your head," Gloria argues.

Claire vacates her seat, and heads towards the bathroom. She doesn't make it. She vomits into a fake fern near the receptionist's area. Without a word Gloria walks up behind her, and hands her a tissue. The receptionist slides open the window, and looks at her.

"Claire Dunphy."

"I am so sorry," Claire apologizes as she wipes her mouth.

"It happens more than you think. You can follow Janine back to an exam room."

Claire nods, and follows the nurse back to an exam room. Janine takes her vital signs, and leaves the room. Claire sits on the edge of the exam table. Gloria sits in a chair nearby. Claire pulls at the collar of her shirt.

"Do you think that it is hot in here?"

"No."

"I feel hot."

Gloria pulls a bottle of water out of her purse, she vacates her seat, and hands it to Claire.

"Thanks. I am sorry I am being such a basket case, I am just afraid something is wrong."

"I understand."

She takes a drink of the water, and recaps the bottle. She watches impatiently as the hands on the clock move. Ten minutes later there is a knock on the door. The doctor enters the room, and takes a seat.

"How are you feeling today, Claire?"

"A little nauseated, I guess I'm just nervous."

"I am not surprised."

"Can you just tell me?"

"Well the good news is that you aren't going through menopause."

Claire furrows her brow, "I'm not?"

"Nope. Tell me, how long have you been feeling nauseous?"

"On and off for a while. I don't know, why?"

"I was able to go over your test results. Your blood count is normal. We checked your thyroid, and that came back normal as well."

"What about the estrogen levels?"

"Some of your hormone levels were higher than what we expected."

"Which ones?" Claire questions.

"Doctor," Gloria bats her eyelashes, "Claire has been worrying about these tests all week. Will you just tell her what is wrong, so I can take her home, before she has a breakdown?"

"Of course," he nods in agreement, "Claire," he touches her knee, "There is nothing wrong with you."

She sighs a breath of relief, "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"So my symptoms, they are all in my head?"

"No, your symptoms are real," he assures her.

"You just said that there is nothing wrong with me."

"There's not. Claire it is all to be expected."

She furrows her brow, "To be expected?"

"They are common symptoms during pregnancy."

"Excuse me!" Her eyes widen.

Gloria speaks up, "Claire, I think that he is saying you're pregnant."

"No. He's wrong. I'm not pregnant," she argues.

He removes the paper from her chart, and hands it to her, "I have the lab results right here."

She stares at the paper in complete and total shock.

"There has been some mistake, or mix up. I'm not pregnant. I think you have me confused with someone else."

"Our lab is one of the best in the entire state," he assures her.

"Run it again," she argues.

"There is a very easy way to determine the validity of this test."

"Do it again?" Claire suggests.

"We can schedule you for an ultrasound. We should be able to get you in within a couple of weeks."

"Weeks?!" Her face turns six shades of red.

"You know what, I think I heard the receptionist say that we had a cancellation for this afternoon, let me check with her. I'll be right back."

He leaves the room, and Claire turns to look at Gloria. Words escape her.

"Claire, are you okay?"

"No. I just found out that my doctor is a complete, and total quack. There is no way that I can be pregnant, there just can't. "

The doctor reenters the room. He takes a seat once again.

"We did have a cancellation. The appointment is at two o'clock," he glances at his watch, "Which is five minutes from now. Janine will take you across the hall, and get you ready."

"This is ridiculous," Claire insists as Janine enters the room. Gloria follows her down the hallway to another exam room. She waits outside as Claire reluctantly gets changed into a paper gown. Once Claire is situated she returns to the room, and takes a seat next to her. The tech enters the room, and begins to prepare her supplies. Claire turns to Gloria.

"This is completely ridiculous. There is no way that this is even remotely possible."


	3. Chapter 3

Gloria watches as the tech squirts green goo onto Claire's abdomen. Claire stares at the ceiling, expecting a vast nothingness to appear on the screen. Gloria's eyes remain glued to the screen as the tech moves the probe around Claire's abdomen. She sees an image appear on the screen.

"Claire I think that you should look at this," Gloria suggests.

"There is nothing to look at."

"Claire there is plenty to look at," Gloria argues.

Claire turns towards the screen, "That can't be right," she squints.

"Do you want your glasses?"

"I don't know if it would help. I think I'm seeing double."

"So am I," Gloria comments.

The tech uses the keyboard to type something on the screen.

"Why did you just type that? Baby A, and baby B?" Claire quizzes.

"Claire there are two of them," Gloria points out.

The tech speaks, "They look to be approximately twelve weeks gestation."

"No," Claire shakes her head, "I refuse to believe it."

The tech ignores her antics, and continues with her exam. She zooms in on the first baby, and turns up the volume. The sound of a heartbeat fills the room. The tech moves to the second baby, and finds a second heartbeat.

"Congratulations you have two healthy looking babies."

"Do not congratulate me. I want to wake up now."

"I am going to print you off some pictures."

"No, pictures. This has to be a dream," she argues.

"Thank you," Gloria reads the tech's name tag, "Mandy."

Gloria manages to convince Claire to get dressed, after the tech leaves the room. Gloria takes the pictures, and makes a follow up appointment with the receptionist. Claire says nothing, she stares of into space, as they leave the office. She doesn't argue when Gloria takes the keys from her. Gloria drives her home. The entire car ride home is silent. When they reach Claire's driveway, Gloria breaks the silence.

"Claire? Are you okay?"

"How could this happen? I don't understand. I am too old for this. I can't be pregnant."

"With twins," Gloria adds.

"What do I do? My kids are grown."

"You need to go tell Phil," Gloria points out, handing Claire the ultrasound pictures.

"Right," she nods, exiting the car.

Gloria watches as Claire heads towards the house. She vomits in the bushes, and continues into the house. She enters the house, and slams the door behind her. Gloria feels it is safe to leave at that point.

"Phil Dunphy!" She yells as she enters the house.

"What? I'm in the kitchen. You don't have to yell."

She heads into the kitchen, and finds Phil innocently eating a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

"Where is Luke?"

"He is still at school, then he is going over to his friends for the night. Claire it is Friday. He is staying at Gavin's."

"Right," she nods.

"What do you want to do tonight?"

"I was thinking murder."

"You look angry. What did I do? How did your appointment go?"

"Terrible."

"What did you find out?"

"You are unbelievable!"

"What did I do?!"

She throws an ultrasound picture at him, "This, you did this. Thank you, Phil."

He holds the pictures upside down, "What am I looking at here?"

She glances over at him. She sighs heavily, and turns the picture the opposite direction, "It's upside down Phil."

He studies the image, "This looks like a baby."

"Not a baby, Phil, two of them."

"That's great. Who is having a baby?"

"Not baby, Phil! Babies. There are two of them."

"Who is having them?"

"I am having your spawns."

He giggles, "Spawns? Our spawns are already out there running around."

"No, Phil! We're having more. We are having two more of them. I am pregnant. Can you believe it?"

His smiles fades, "You mean that you're not going through menopause?"

"No."

"We're having a baby?"

"Babies," she corrects him again.

"So this change is only temporary, for the next nine months or so?"

"No. Less than that."

"This is great, Claire."

"How can you say that?"

"We've still got it," he grins.

"Wipe that smirk off your face," she growls, "This is not okay. We are too damn old for this, Phil! We are nearly senior citizens. Our nest was nearly empty. We had the rest of our lives to grow old together, with no children living here, with us."

"You're not happy about this?"

"I am confused," she admits.

He vacates his seat. He walks over to her, and wraps his arms around her. "Everything is going to be okay," he kisses her forehead.

"How can you say that? We have to start all over again. Midnight feeding, and colicky babies, and never ending diapers."

"It was magical."

"You didn't have them attached to your chest."

"I would gladly take over that duty if I could. Honey, this is great."

"Phil! Do you think that you could tone back the optimism for once?"

"I'm sorry, I'm just so excited."

"I'm not there yet."

"Why don't you go take a bubble bath, and have a nice glass of," it suddenly hits him that she can't have wine, "Chocolate milk."

"That is not refreshing," she argues.

He pours her some chocolate milk into a wine glass, and hands it to her. "I am going to go upstairs and run you a bath."

She tries to argue, but she is too tired. He heads up the stairs, and she leans over the island. She stares at the dozens of still images of two humanoid shaped blobs. She exhales, and looks down at her stomach. She shakes her head.

"How did this happen?"


	4. Chapter 4

She sinks to her chin in a tub full of bubbles with her hair secured into a clip. She takes a sip of her chocolate milk, and looks over at her husband. His grin has faded into a look of concern.

"Claire, are you okay?"

"No, I am not okay."

"Talk to me," he begs.

"How could I have been so stupid?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Phil, they estimated gestation at twelve weeks. How did I miss all of the signs? I have been pregnant all of this time, and I didn't know it."

"It doesn't matter," he argues.

"I feel like an idiot."

"We have been really busy lately."

Her face cracks, and a hint of grin breaks out, "Obviously we spent a little too much time getting busy."

"This isn't something that we have talked about in a long time," he points out.

"I think that it is a little late to talk about it now," she adds.

"No, it's not."

She furrows her brow, "What are you saying?"

"That you're not wrong. We are in our forties, we are not getting any younger. All three of the kids are nearly out of the house. We would be completely starting over. It wouldn't be easy."

"You love babies," she points out.

"And you absolutely hate being pregnant."

"I love our kids."

"Why are you so upset?"

"I finally stopped feeling guilty. I like my job, it keeps me sane, and I don't feel bad about the time that I spend away from you guys. I am going to have to quit my job, and spend the next lifetime chasing…"

He cuts her off, "No. Claire we are a team. You are not going to quit your job. Your job keeps all of us sane. We just have to figure out a new game plan. What do you want to do?"

"Stay in this bathtub until I turn into a puddle."

"Be serious."

"I don't want to be serious, Phil. I just found out that I have been pregnant for the last three months, with twins, and I just found out."

"It is my fault, I know."

"You didn't do it alone. I am mad at myself, because I didn't want to see it. I feel bad, because…" she trails off.

"You can say it."

"I didn't want this. This was not a road that I wanted to go down again."

"What are you saying?"

"I don't want to believe this. I am having a really hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I am pregnant."

"I don't know what to say," he admits.

"You don't have to say anything."

"I love you no matter what you feel, or think, or do," he reminds her.

"I'm scared," she reveals, in a small voice.

"We're old," he agrees.

"And rusty," she adds.

"Our kids are pretty awesome, though."

"Phil?"

"Yeah, Claire?"

"I have a proposal."

"What is that?"

"Phil Dunphy would you have a couple more babies with me?"

"Yes, Claire Dunphy, I would love to have a couple more babies with you."

"You have to change all of the diapers."

"I accept that challenge, as you have to gestate them, and give birth to them."

"How are we going to tell the kids?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe we should wait until we find out the gender, and convert the girl's old room into a nursery, and let them accidentally stumble upon it."

"I was hoping for a surprise."

"It will be a surprise to them."

"No, the gender."

"I can't keep it a surprise."

"Don't you want a surprise?"

"I just got the biggest surprise of my life, Phil. I can't handle any more surprises. I started my day thinking that I might be going through menopause, only to find out that I am not. Instead, I am three months pregnant with twins."

"Can I be stoked, now?"

"If you do it elsewhere, I am going to savor this quiet time, alone in the bathtub. I have a feeling these moments will soon be few, and far between."

"The more the merrier."

"No more. The gates will be closing after this. That decision is final."

"But I…"

"You are a chicken, I am not."

"That is why I love you. You are not a chicken. You are brave enough to give me three beautiful kids, and crazy enough to give me two more at the same time."

"You are not helping."

"Sorry, I am just going to go eat some more ice cream, down stairs, where I won't say the wrong thing to my pregnant, hormonal wife."

"Go away."

"I'm already gone."


	5. Chapter 5

She wakes up in the middle of the night, in a cold sweat. It takes her a moment to get oriented to her surroundings. After a few seconds she takes stock in her new reality. She exhales as she lies on her side. She feels Phil's arm wrap around her midsection.

"Stop."

"Sorry," he rolls over.

"You're making me hot, and irritable."

"I'll stay over here on my side," he vows.

"Phil?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"Love you too, go to sleep."

* * *

Over the next few weeks Claire does her best to resign herself to the fact that she's pregnant. She stands in the bathroom mirror one morning, trying to button her blazer. It has one button, and she can't get it buttoned. She sucks it in, but her jacket still won't button. She stares down at her slacks, and realizes she hasn't buttoned them yet, either. She hears a knock on the door.

"I'll be out in a minute," she insists.

"Claire, let me in," Phil begs.

"I am getting dressed."

"Please, you're going to be late for work."

"Fine," she groans.

He enters the room holding a very similar pant suit. She eyes him suspiciously.

"What is this?"

"I found it in the car, I picked it up from the dry cleaner yesterday."

"I forgot taking the grey one to the cleaner."

"Swap it out, I don't want you to be late for work."

She quickly switches the black slacks, and jacket for a charcoal grey one. She feels a sense of relief as she is able to button. She exits the bathroom, and heads down the stairs.

"Luke are you ready for school?"

"Yes."

"Let's go."

"Okay," he follows her to the car.

They are halfway down the street, when Luke breaks his silence.

"You look nice today."

Claire pulls up to the stop sign, "Did your father tell you to say that?"

"He said that you would ask me that."

"Why did he tell you to say that?"

"He said you have been feeling self-conscious lately."

She unbuttons her jacket, and tosses it at Luke.

"Don't be mad."

"Luke, does that jacket have a tag in it?"

"No, why?"

"That snake."

"Who? Are you talking about dad?"

"What would make you say that?"

"I saw him cut the tags out of these this morning."

"I love your father, but one of these days I am going to murder him."

"You should go, nothing is coming."

She nods, checks the intersection, and accelerates through the stop sign.

"Luke I'm sorry that I have been so testy lately."

"I am sure it's only temporary."

"What exactly did your dad say to you?"

"Nothing," he lies.

"I'll give you twenty bucks if you tell me."

"He gave me twenty not to tell."

"Twenty five?"

"He said that you were hormonal, and self-conscious lately, and to be extra nice to you, and feed you ice cream."

"Did he?"

"I just do what I am told," he insists.

"He didn't say anything else?"

"No."

By the time that Phil gets home that evening the rest of the family has already eaten dinner. He finds Haley, and Luke in the kitchen doing the dishes. He scratches his head, and makes a beeline for the kitchen.

"What is this invasion of the body snatchers? Since when do the two of you do dishes?"

"Shh!" Haley warns, "Mom is asleep."

"Asleep? It is barely six o'clock."

"Shh! She's right there," Luke scolds.

Phil turns around, and finds Claire passed out on the couch. He grins, and turns back around towards the kids.

"Haley did you get your chore done?"

"I swapped out the items that you asked me to," she reaches into her pocket, "and here is your card back."

"What did you get yourself?"

"Just lunch."

"And?"

"Nothing. I honestly didn't buy anything else for myself."

"Really?" He furrows his brow.

"I drank my slushie, and followed through with my mission. It was not as simple as I thought it would be. I know the mall like the back of my hand, and it was not easy. Inventory was low today, of course, that is to be expected. They get their truck on Tuesday, in the mom barn."

He rolls his eyes, "You removed the old?"

"I removed the old, and the price tags, and the sizes."

"What did you reward yourself with?" Phil presses.

"A slushie, I was too tired to shop for myself by the time I was done."

"I thought that you had the slushie when you were shopping."

"Okay, you caught me, I had lunch, and two slushies. I guess I live dangerously these days."

Phil shoots her a look, and then shifts his glance to Luke.

"I know dad, I was just as surprised as you were."

"She bought you a slushie too, didn't she?"  
"She picked me up from school right after she got done at the mall."

Phil scrutinizes his daughter's facial expression, "You didn't buy yourself anything, and you were nice to your brother? Are you ill?"

"No, I am just being a good person."

Phil breaks eye contact with her, and looks at Luke, "Luke go to your room."

"Why?"

"Now!"

Luke reluctantly leaves the room. Once Phil is certain that the youngest Dunphy is out of earshot, he turns his attention to Haley. He takes a step closer to her.

"What is wrong with you, today?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me."

"Just remember that I'm your favorite."

"Did you wreck the car?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Why? What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. I think that this is more about what you did."

Phil nervously tugs at his collar. He pulls off his tie, "Is it getting hot in here?"

"No, it's not. I know what you did."

"Excuse me?"

"I know that I have been known to be unobservant, however, I know what is going on here."

"What are you talking about?" His tone of voice increase by an entire octave.

"Mom has worn the same size for years."

"She is getting older, things change, honey."

"She does not nap."

"She is getting older," he repeats.

"And, also I went into the bathroom this morning to get some Tylenol for a headache. When I opened the cabinet I saw some incriminating evidence."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he insists.

"So, naturally I decided to snoop through the bedside stand, and what I found was absolutely alarming."

"I know I shouldn't keep my nose hair trimmer in there, but I like to keep it close by, just in case."

"It was not a nose hair trimmer. When did you find out this information?"

"We can talk about this later," he tells her.

"Unbelievable."

"Haley, I'm tired."

"No, it is unbelievable, because you guys are old, and to reproduce… it's just gross, okay? Stop all related activities immediately."

"How do you think that you got here?"

"EEW!" With that thought she stomps off to her room. He leaves the kitchen, and heads into the living room. He takes a seat beside the couch. He watches his wife as she naps. Claire lies on her side, drooling on the couch, with her hand draped over her midsection. He kisses her cheek.

"Claire, wake up, it's too early to go to bed for the night."

She opens he eyes, "Sorry, I was just resting my eyes."

"Sit up."

She exhales, and shifts into a sitting position. He vacates his seat on the floor, and sits down on the couch, next to her.

"We have to tell the kids."

"Phil, I'm not ready to tell them yet."

"Haley already knows."

"What are you talking about?"

"I think she saw your vitamins."

"That doesn't mean that she knows," Claire argues.

"She told me that she knows."

"I am afraid how they are going to react. It is life changing news. Phil, I don't really want to talk about this right now."

"Okay, I am going into the kitchen and grab a bite to eat. Why don't you head upstairs, and take a bath?"

* * *

Saturday morning rolls around, and all three of the kids are out of the house. Phil isn't home, because he is at a showing. Claire finds herself home alone, in a pile of laundry the size of Mt. McKinley. She is sitting on the couch, in the living room folding laundry, when someone knocks on the door. She vacates her seat on the couch, and heads to the door. She pulls the door open, and finds Gloria.

"What are you doing here?"

"I brought cupcakes."

"What are we celebrating?"

"Nothing, I just wanted an excuse to eat cupcakes in peace, so I lied to Manny, and Jay, and said we were celebrating Phil. Jay stopped listening after that."

Claire studies the container Gloria is holding, "What kind are they?"

"They are chocolate."

"Come on in, I was just folding laundry."

She enters the house, and they head into the kitchen. Claire grabs a couple of glasses, and pours milk into them. They situate themselves on barstools around the island.

"I haven't heard much from you lately."

"We just got a pretty big account at work, I have been working a lot on that."

"Claire that is not why I am here, and you know it."

"I know."

"How are you?"

"Confused."

"Confused? About what?"

"I told Phil, and he is ecstatic."

"You're not?"

"I want to be, but I am just not as excited about this as he is. I am tired. I want a vacation, and this is not a vacation."

"Have you told the kids yet?"

"I don't know how to tell them. Frankly, I am not ready to tell them."

"They will find out eventually."

"I guess I am just not ready to admit it to myself."

"Why are you so unhappy about this?"

"Unlike you, I was looking forward to having an empty nest."

"That's it?" She replies with a hint of skepticism.

She shakes her head, "No."

"What is really on your mind?"

"Phil is always so optimistic."

"You are not."

"I am worried. Gloria I am not young anymore. A lot of things could go wrong."

Gloria nods, "You are afraid that something might be wrong?"

"There are a million different things that could go wrong. I was reading a book about genetic disorders the other day, and did you know that at my age the chance of having a baby with down syndrome is nearly one in thirty? Not to mention all of the other complications that are possible just with the pregnancy due to my age, and the fact that there are two of them. I am just afraid something will happen, and…"

"Claire it is going to be okay."

"But what if it's not? It is easy for you to say that, you already have a healthy baby."

"Did you tell Phil why you're feeling this way?"

She shakes her head, "No, he just assumed it was because I never really wanted another child."

"You need to tell him."


	7. Chapter 7

Lying in bed that night, she tosses and turns. She finds herself tangled up in covers. She is nearly ready to give up, and give into sleep, when her husband sighs in frustration.

"Claire, just lay still."

She rolls over, and flips on the light in his face.

"That was unwarranted," he tells her.

She sits up in the bed, "Phil we need to talk."

He looks over at the clock, "It is three o'clock in the morning. Can't this wait?"

"No. It can't."

"Okay," he sits up, realizing that neither of them are going to sleep, until she says whatever it is that she has to say.

"I know that you think I am being unreasonable. I am sure that you think I am being selfish. You think that my behavior lately is because I feel uncomfortable, because I didn't want another child. Phil, that's not what is going on."

"So tell me what is."

"I'm scared," she admits.

"That's okay."

"I am scared that something is going to be wrong with one, or both of the babies. Are we really prepared for that? We could have a child, or children who are disabled, and that we have to take care of for the rest of our lives, are we really ready for that? What if I'm too old, and they come too soon, and something is wrong, and it is my fault? What if something happens to me? Who is going to help you?"

"Claire, I'm scared too."

She furrows her brow, "You are?"

"Those are all possibilities."

"Why are you so happy?"

"We have no control over any of that. What I know is that I love you, and we can get through anything."

"What if we can't? What if this drives us apart?"

"I won't let it. Claire all of those things could happen, or none of them could, but we have to stay positive."

"I know that you want to tell people, because you're excited, but I want to wait a little while."

"How long?"

"Until after the genetic testing."

"What are you saying?"

"I just want to have all of the facts before we start telling people."

"Claire?"

"Hmm?"

"We never had this conversation."

"What conversation?"

"We never discussed what happens if something is wrong with one, or both of them. We never discussed it with the other three, because we didn't do any testing."

"Do you not want me to do the testing?"

"No, I think we need to be prepared for what we are dealing with."

"What are you asking me?"

"If something is wrong, what do you want to do?"

"If there is something wrong with one of them, or both of them?"

"Either."

"I don't even want to think about it," she tells him.

"What does your gut say?"

"My gut says that we should have this discussion after the testing."

"It isn't for another two weeks. Claire just tell me what you want to do."

"I want to go to sleep."

"You are the one that woke me up," he reminds her.

"I would want to make an educated decision, whatever that was."

"Fair enough."

She gives him a kiss on the cheek, "Now go to sleep." She turns off the lamp, and untangles herself from the mess of covers.

In the morning she wakes up, and finds Phil staring at her abdomen with a suspicious look on his face. She furrows her brow.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you feel like one of them has a tail?"

"No. I wasn't considering that possibility, why?"

He presses his had to her stomach. She pushes it away, "Phil what are you doing?"

"I dreamt that we were at the hospital, it was just the two of us, and the babies. You were holding one, and I was holding one. Your baby looked completely normal. When I looked at my baby it had green scales, and a tail, like a lizard."

"Phil, I think that it is safe to say that these are human, not lizard. I am not certain of many things, right now, but they are not lizards." She reaches over to her bedside stand, and open the drawer. She pulls out a stack of pictures, and hands it to him.

"Why are you giving me these?"

"Look at them. There is not even a hint of a tail."

"At least we wouldn't have to worry about having bugs," he jokes.

She hits him with a pillow, and then vacates her position in the bed.

"That's not funny, Phil."

"If one of them does have a tail can we name it Lizzy?"

"If it is green with scales, and a tail you can name it whatever you want, because you'll have to put me in an institution."

"Don't be silly, Claire. They don't institutionalize people anymore."

"I know," she grins, not missing a beat, "That's why you're free to roam among the general population."

"That is not funny."

"Neither was the bug joke," Claire counters.

"Fair enough. However, this conversation brings up a very important topic?"

"Lizards?" She cocks an eyebrow.

"A serious subject."

"You are the one who suggested that we're having a lizard baby," she points out.

"We should discuss names."

"We will discuss names when we find out the gender."

"You are such a fun-sucker, Claire."


End file.
